Talk:postal code

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postal code

rfv-sense: zip code. The ZIP code or zip code is the postal code for US addresses, an example of a postal code, not the definition of postal code. US speakers may use zip code to refer to non-US postal codes. I have what I think is the right sense of "postal code", the same as "post code". I am not familiar with the English names (if any) for each nation's postal code system. DCDuring TALK 19:31, 1 February 2008 (UTC)

In the UK it is a postcode (all one word). SemperBlotto 22:15, 1 February 2008 (UTC)

How do UK speakers refer to non-UK postal codes? Is there a generic term (like "postal code") or do they just use the term for UK addresses to refer to any country's system, including the US ZIP code ? US speakers are carelessly chauvinistic about it, often using ZIP code or zip code for all. DCDuring TALK 22:48, 1 February 2008 (UTC)

That's not the result of chauvanism, just blithe ignorance. --EncycloPetey 05:25, 2 February 2008 (UTC)

Delete this as a redundant (viz, included in the other sense) sense.—msh210℠ 17:54, 4 February 2008 (UTC)

Agree. Zip code is mentioned as a synonym, as is correct. Hekaheka 19:44, 4 February 2008 (UTC)

I have amended the entry to show zip code, ZIP code, and postcode as hyponyms (God help us!) for "postal code". I will make the corresponding changes for zip code entries, but leave postcode and post code alone until this is all settled. DCDuring TALK 20:33, 4 February 2008 (UTC)

Which is a hyponym of what, depends on point of view. Americans probably think that all postal/zip codes are zip codes but the term postal code may be used of the foreign zip codes. The Brits probably have an opposite view. Any good reason why they cannot be synonyms? Hekaheka 09:07, 5 February 2008 (UTC)

Speakers in each country probably refer to all postal codes by the local name or a shortening thereof. Each entry should have that sense. I am not sure that you could call ZIP Code and postcode synonyms because they are not - for the same speaker. They are some kind of coordinate terms. I've been waiting for some simplification to strike me or some other contributor. DCDuring TALK 10:39, 20 February 2008 (UTC)

Let me throw something in just for the fun of it... In Germany we use the PLZ (Post LeitZahl = Post RoutingNumber), for all postcodes in the world, including the zip code in the US... and I always have known it as either ZIP code or even postal code, while I grew up in the US, and only recently have heard the term postcode (Brit.)...

• 2005, Nuray Aykin, Usability and Internationalization of Information Technology, Routledge, Page 41,

  "For example, the corporate directory for AT&T, a US-based company, includes names and job... building, town, city, country, zip/postal code, and so on."

and if I am not mistaken... "Routledge is part of the Taylor & Francis Group, a trading division of Informa UK Ltd." - just my 2 pennies worth (2 cents for the Americans and Europeans)...--BigBadBen 16:17, 8 April 2008 (UTC)

I don't get the point of the "Informa" mention.

The use in Germany of the terminology that, strictly speaking, ought to only apply to the in-Germany "postal code" to include all postal codes is the pattern that I would expect. Only in situations where one had to remind someone about the more-than-just-German possibilities that one would use a more generic term, like a German equivalent of "postal code". "Post code" couldn't well serve the purpose in the UK because it is a homonym for the local-only postal code. DCDuring TALK 16:53, 8 April 2008 (UTC)

The "Informa" mention, was to show, that to an outsider the use of postal code by an English puplisher deems it as a correct usage aswell in that part of the world... I mentioned it in lieu of SemperBlotto's remark above and I agree with the ignorance of most (not all) americans when they use ZIP code for all postal codes, but gotta say this in defense: Everyone uses shortcuts in speech and writing almost everyday... (but americans are world champs here)...

unfortunately, there is no generic term other than PLZ as it translates into postal routing number (code)...--BigBadBen 18:00, 9 April 2008 (UTC)